The New Beginning
by Helen Stillnight
Summary: In his 16th birthday Harry sends Voldemort a letter, asking to come kill him, Voldemort arrives to Little Whinging. Voldemort AK'd Harry, but he survived again, and this time Dark Lord decided to give up killing the boy, and he takes the boy with him to Little Hangleton... And certain Potions Master learns unexpected things about the Boy Who Lived... Slash Snarry Okay-ish Voldemort
1. Chapter 1 - The New Life

**Disclaimers: If I owned HP series Severus Snape wouldn't have died and Voldemort would fell in love with Harry. Alas, I do not own Harry Potter series or any of characters, JKR does.**

**Warnings: May contain violence, mentions of child abuse, crude language and cursing, bashing, OOC, occasional rudeness, silliness and general oddness.**

**Pairing(s): SS/HP, (LV/?), DM/HrG, and some others may come up later on...**

**SLASH depiction of homoerotic relationship, meaning guy on guy action.**

**You do not like it - don't read. Consider yourself to be warned.**

**Keys:** "Normal Speech", 'Thoughts', _:: Parseltongue ::_, _**Spells**_

/Mental link between _Harry_ and **Voldemort**\

_**Books names**__, letters, notes, news articles, essays etc..._

o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o

**Summary:** In his 16th birthday Harry sends Voldemort letter, asking to come kill him, Voldemort arrives to Little Whinging. Voldemort AK'd Harry, but he survived again, and this time Dark Lord decided to give up killing the boy, and he takes the boy with him to Little Hangleton... And certain Potions Master learns unexpected things about the Boy Who Lived...

o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o

**Helen Stillnight **

**Presents**

**THE NEW BEGINNING**

**CHAPTER 1 - THE NEW LIFE**

It was July 31 in 1996, weather was warm in that late evening when pure white snowy owl swooped down on desk in study of Riddle Manor in Little Hangleton, stretching her leg out hooting, to give letter.

Recipient of letter eyed owl suspiciously and owl glared back with her amber eyes and gave dignified hoot. Man took letter, scanned it for any spells and finally opened it. As he unfold the short letter, owl gave last hoot and gracefully she flew away. Shaking his head to owl's behavior he started to read short, hastily scribbled letter.

_Tonight, nearby park in Magnolia Court in Surrey, at the twilight. I will be there alone. I have no reason to live anymore. Kill me swiftly and painlessly if possible, it is my 16th birthday. I will give you Prophecy. HJP_

He blinked and read short note again, and again, about dozen times, and the note still stayed the same. Nothing changed, so it had to be true. He scowled and folded note again, and hid it in his robes sleeve, along with his wand. He calmly pulled dark cloak over his robes and walked outside of his wards around the Manor and _**Disapparated**_ to mentioned location.

It was already nearing the twilight and weather cooling down as the Sun begin to set. Tall man in midnight black robes and cloak, hood covering his face, walked down shadowy and empty Magnolia Court, alone, towards nearby park. He saw a lone boy sitting in swing, with serene expression on his face he watched as red, orange, pink and purple clouds slowly drifted by. Boy seemed to sense his arrival, because he slowly stood up and turned his killing curse green eyes to arriving man.

Serene smile graced his face, his eyes looking as old as life itself and too much seen in his short years. Swing creaked as he walked away from it and to man. He too, was wearing midnight black robes, his holly wand in his right hand.

"Good evening, Voldemort. It seems that, you have decided to grant me my only wish I have for. But before you grant me my death, allow me tell you the Prophecy..." Harry said with serene voice, like nothing in the world could disturb him.

_"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not... And either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."_

"The full Prophecy..." hooded man whispered with hiss. "Ah, yes, yes... I see it now", he muttered softly and looked now directly to the boy. "Tell me, Harry, why do you wish to die for?" he asked and slowly glided closer.

"Because, Voldemort... I have nothing live for", Harry answered as serenely as before, his green eyes gently looking to Dark Lord. "As you grant me wish, I shall be freed from everything. From my burdens, expectations of the Wizarding world, physical and emotional abuse I have been forced to go through of my whole life. When I die, I shall ultimately be free from everything, in whole meaning of the word."

"And I will win", Voldemort hissed, crimson eyes curiously peering into teen.

"Perhaps so", Harry answered serenely and gave another unearthly serene smile. "But I shall have a peace. I do not have to follow Prophecy, listen empty promises of peace and deceits of old foolish man or partake this unnecessarily brewing war. It is I who shall ultimately win, not you, dear Voldemort."

Voldemort gave hissed curse, and Harry's lips twitched a bit in faint amusement. _:: Do what ever you wish for, but only after my death ::_ Harry hissed back in parseltongue.

Voldemort's crimson eyes widened in surprise for a fraction and he lifted his yew wand pointing it to teens chest. Boy dropped his own holly wand to ground with soft clatter.

_:: Do it! :: _Harry hissed, softly.

"_**Avada**_... _**Kedavra**_..." Voldemort whispered and bright green light erupted from his wand. Just before the Killing curse hit the boy, he saw serene and grateful smile gracing the green-eyed teen's face and he heard barely above the whisper words from boy.

"Thank you, Tom Riddle, for killing me", and then the killing curse hit boy squarely to chest and his eyes closed and he crumbled to ground, lifelessly.

Voldemort let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding during this time. He glided closer, kneeled next to Harry, picked up the wand hiding it in his robes sleeve, and then he pressed his long, pale, delicate fingers to boy's neck, searching for the pulse. At first he didn't feel anything, and he thought that he had finally killed the boy, and it left hollow, painfully empty feeling inside him.

But then, after few long moments he felt it. Weak, slow, slightly erratic, nearly non-existent heart beat.

Voldemort was genuinely surprised. "How does he survive it, yet again...?" he asked out loud, but there was no answer for him. He let out deep sigh, before deciding to scoop boy in his arms from ground. "He survived it again, for a second time. For that, if for nothing else, he deserves to live", he muttered before _**Apparating**_ back to his Manor in Little Hangleton.

In Manor he placed the boy in bed and magically removed his clothes. At this point he noticed boy's physical condition and with resigned sigh he started to mend his injuries and wounds. He re-set few broken bones, healed some infected wounds, gently rubbed burn salve to sunburns and the ones from cooking and carefully rubbed bruise paste into numerous new and already fading bruises around teen's body. He spelled several potions straight to boy's stomach, including pain reliever, nutrition potion, mild numbing potion... Other wise boy was clean, so he spelled some pyjamas on him and let him to sleep.

And then he seated himself into plush armchair next to bed, watching as boy slept, hanging onto his life even when he wanted nothing more than just let it go. He watched and hoped that he would survive, for once...

**o◦oOo◦o  
**

Harry was floating in vast emptiness. There was nothing. No life, no death, no warmth, no cold, no light or darkness. Emptiness was surrounding him, gently embracing like a parent would for one's child.

_Harryy..._ faint woman's voice called him. _My sweetheart..._

Harry recognized the voice calling him. It belonged to his mother. He had seen her apparition about a year ago, and even briefly spoken to her, in midst of duel with Voldemort after Dark Lord's resurrection. That had happened when he had been forcefully whisked away by portkey after TriWizard tournament's Third Task from Maze to Little Hangleton's Graveyeard where afore-mentioned resurrection happened.

"Mother..." he whispered. "I have finally come to meet you, and father too..."

_No, my sweetheart... This is just in between, the borderland, this is merely in dream_, woman's voice spoke. _It is not yet your time to go, Harry... There too much for you to do before you can cross the over._

"But I asked especially Voldemort kill me, mother, so that I can have a peace and rest. I can't hold, carry those burdens any longer on my shoulders... The war...", Harry pleaded the voice, tears threatening to leak from his eyes. "Mother, I'm so tired of everything."

_I know, sweetheart, I know,_ voice said gently and warmth surrounded Harry. _Dark Lord was merciful enough to grant your plea, but you are not dead yet - your heart still beats, and Dark Lord himself guards your sleep. He isn't your enemy anymore, sweetheart._

Harry was slightly surprised. "If Voldemort is not my enemy anymore, then who is?" he questioned, worried but also slightly relieved. He wouldn't have to fight Dark Lord anymore.

_Man of Light, so intense in his beliefs to vanquish all 'evil' and 'dark' that is borders insanity. A man who let you unjustly suffer most worst kind of life and childhood, pretending to be your Saviour. A man who placed all those burdens to your shoulders to carry on his behalf. Albus Dumbledore, the WORST kind of man, WORST kind of human in very long time seen..._

And Harry knew instantly that voice spoke words of truth, they could not be denied. "What of Snape? He serves as his spy in Order of Phoenix, but whose side he truly is?"

Voice sighed ruefully. _He was once my most treasured and precious friend, until the day I died. His loyalties always have lied within me, and now within you. He never served wholeheartedly either Light or Dark Order. He swore to protect your life,_ voice said sadly and Harry felt surge of sadness in embrace surrounding him. _My death was truly devastating for him, and it changed him so._

"He is so bitter and cruel man to this day. He hates me, mother. He is so unfair towards me because of what father and other Marauders did to him", Harry said real despair in his voice and he buried his face in his hands. "How can I change him? How can I get him let go of his bitterness and cruel words?"

_I'll visit him in his dreams later, before your school term starts again,_ Voice spoke again and this time Harry could hear glint of fierceness in it.

"Don't be too hard on him. This spy business is very stressing and taxing to him, not mention Dumbledore with his constant lemon drops", Harry said. "And Voldemort has bad habit torturing his followers, including Snape."

_I know, dear. It's for you to time to go now. You can't forever cling to this vast darkness residing in between the worlds,_ Voice said gently. _Remember, we will always be very proud of you, no matter what the path you may take in your life. Even if you embraced your Darkness and use Dark Arts._

"I love you mom, and dad and Sirius, despite that they were a such gits to Snape", Harry said and his tears finally broke free as he heard gently chuckle and gently, kind and warm embrace and final, whispered words. _I love you too, my little Harry._

Voldemort was startled out his light sleep he had fallen a while waiting for Harry to awake. He had heard faint, murmured words through his sleep. It was Harry speaking in his comatose sleep.

It seemed that the boy was talking to someone in his dream he was seeing at the moment. At first Voldemort didn't pay too much attention to his words, but when he uttered the words _'If Voldemort is not my enemy anymore, then who is?'_ Needless to say that caught his undivided attention instantly. What ever the boy was dreaming was very intense and he was going through very interesting conversation if it was anything to go by what he was hearing of Harry's mutterings. About him, Voldemort, Snape - his most trusted Death Eater and apparently Dumbledore too.

He barely caught the boy's last words as he fall into silence once more, tear sliding down his cheeks, killing curse green eyes now wide open and staring at ceiling silently.

"You really are here, sitting and waiting me to awaken", Harry said, sounding slightly awed and surprised. "Mom, was right."

Dark Lord's non-existent brows shot up in infinite surprise. "You spoke to your mother? What it just a dream or something more?", he asked curiosity coloring his voice.

"In between the life and death, the crossroad that I wasn't allowed to enter yet. Mom told me that it wasn't my to go yet, that you are waiting me... That you are not my enemy, that there is someone else who is greater evil than you will ever be", Harry explained, his earlier serenity back to his features. He recited the words his mom had spoken about the Dumbledore.

Voldemort listened every single word with intense concentration. "I knew Dumbledore was evil and utterly insane. I know that I am reasonably Dark and evil, even I am not at the level Dumbledore reaches. I knew there was reason that he was so fiercely denying that he was even slightest bit dark and claims to be Light and Good, when he in fact is **NOT**. He's evil, more evil that I ever will be", he said sounding very thoughtful, after a while.

"But what you will do now, Harry Potter?", Dark Lord asked curiously, which looked odd on his face.

Harry laid out in Dark Lord's bed, thinking, frown marring his face, making him seemingly look older than his 16 years. "I don't know, I'm utterly lost what to do", he said finally after good five minutes of silence. "But... Since you are no longer my enemy and actively trying to kill me... Perhaps I could band together with you and become one of your Death Eaters", he mused quietly. "But I have to do something about Snape... He is in my side after all, I can't have Dumbledore fuck him over. And speaking about the old goat..."

Voldemort watched silently the boy as he planned something. He had to hand it to the boy, to bounce back so quickly from his subsequent death. As it was, boy's heart had stopped for the moment, before it had started to beat again miraculously when he had felt his pulse after hitting him with _**Avada Kedavra**_.

"... Killing Dumbledore will be on my **the things to do list**, and I will accomplish it even if it kills me", Harry finally decided resolutely. "I will kill him with something dark, ancient, irreversible curse that will kill him slowly, painfully and rendering a mere squib and insane before his death."

Voldemort raised his non-existent brows again, quite accepting of his decision. "You know, Potter, I approve that wholeheartedly your initiative plan", he said and tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Alrighty then, I will take you as my Death Eater if you _really_ wish to join into my ranks", he nodded.

Harry grinned weakly from his bed and saluted. "What shall be my role, Voldemort?", he asked. "White Masked grunt?" he questioned curiously. "Surely not Silver Mask in Inner circle..."

Voldemort gave wicked, wicked grin. "As Prophecy states, you are my _**equal**_ in everything, I shall make you my 'body guard' as my trusted, surpassing everyone else in power and rank, my right hand man", he said. "My equal. Only I will surpass you in rank."

Harry shook his head with amusement and grinned. "Only you would do that to your former enemy, Voldemort..." he mumbled and his eyes drooped close and he then promptly fell asleep.

Voldemort eyed now sleeping boy and carded his long, spidery finger through his dark messy hair.

"Indeed so, my young Harry... As prophecy states, you are my equal now. Welcome, my dear child...", he said softly and caressed the sleeping boy's cheek, marveling how soft it felt under his fingers. "Welcome to the Dark Side."


	2. Chapter 2 - The Dark Side

**Disclaimers: If I owned HP series Severus Snape wouldn't have died and Voldemort would fell in love with Harry. Alas, I do not own Harry Potter series or any of characters, JKR does.**

**Warnings: May contain violence, mentions child abuse, crude language and cursing, bashing, OOC,occasional rudeness, silliness and general oddness.**

**Pairing(s): SS/HP, (LV/?), DM/HrG, and some others may come up later on...**

**SLASH depiction of homoerotic relationship, meaning guy on guy action. **

**You do not like it - don't read. Consider yourself to be warned.**

**Keys:** "Normal Speech", 'Thoughts', _:: Parseltongue ::_, _**Spells**_

/Mental link between _Harry_ and **Voldemort**\

_**Books names**__, letters, notes, news articles, essays etc..._

o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o

**Summary:** In his 16th birthday Harry sends Voldemort letter, asking to come kill him, Voldemort arrives to Little Whinging. Voldemort AK'd Harry, but he survived again, and this time Dark Lord decided to give up killing the boy, and he takes the boy with him to Little Hangleton... And certain Potions Master learns unexpected things about the Boy Who Lived...

o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o o◦oOo◦o

**Helen Stillnight**

**Presents**

**THE NEW BEGINNING**

**CHAPTER 2 - The Dark Side**

It didn't take Harry a long to recover his subsequent visit in death. Next day after he was already up and about, although Voldemort quite adamantly demanded that the boy stayed in bed at least one more day, just to be on safe side.

On his second day as newest member of Death Eaters he started, under Voldemort's strict guidance, rigorous training and learning about Dark Magic and what it really was about. End of his first day, as Harry sat in dinner table, they discussed about what he had learned in his first day, to make sure that he understood everything correctly. He was also given free reign to Potions labs, after he had proved that he was proficient enough not to explode anything up.

The Dark Lord was quite surprised how well and quickly Harry could grasp the conception of Dark Art and Dark Magic. Occlumency was slightly difficult to him, but nothing that Voldemort wasn't able to teach him.

As Voldemort had promised the boy, he had taken him seriously as his highest ranked Death Eater, as his body-guard. Harry received his own, slightly modified Dark Mark, slightly different to other marks. While a normal Dark Mark had skull and viper protruding out of skull's mouth, Harry's mark was skull which had lightning bolt-shaped crack over its right empty eye socket with a viper slithering around the skull, wounding around his arm, unlike the other marks. That was to prove that Harry was different from others, more important and ranked above others.

Two weeks since Harry had started he had progressed tremendously. He had gone through many books, absorbing information like a dry sponge. He excelled in potions and he could easily brew all N.E.W.T level potions, alongside many of Mastery level ones. Currently he was doing in his free time some researching about Veritaserum.

Two weeks into his guided studies into Dark Arts Harry was deemed to learnt enough for time being. He had also learned, with careful guidance of the Dark Lord to cast correctly the Unforgivables. But his wand, was being slightly uncooperative, being Light orientated wood. For the time being, though, he would have to deal with it.

Now, Harry was also deemed ready to be introduced to rest of Death Eaters. Hens, the Death Eater meeting was called at the evening. Voldemort ushered Harry to wear his new Death Eater regalia.

Harry returned to his room, where he did indeed found his new wardrobe. The robes Voldemort had gifted to him few days prior were dark, deep bottle green, so dark that they were nearly black. His new midnight black, acromantula and faery silk cloak was also new addition to his wardrobe. He returned to Voldemort wearing his robes and cloak.

"Will Snape be there?", Harry asked curiously as he exposed his left forearm to Voldemort so that he would call others for meeting. He grimaced slightly when he felt uncomfortable burning flaring in his Dark Mark when Voldemort pressed his yew wand to it and hissed calling command.

"Yes, they all will be here", Voldemort nodded.

Harry hummed thoughtfully. "If Bellatrix is there be prepared to that I might _**Crucio**_ her again, and this time more successfully than in Department of Mysteries. She killed my godfather, even if it was an accident. He fell through the Vein in Death Room", he replied seeing Dark Lord's questioning look. "But... As for the next interesting question, as whom are you going to introduce me?", he asked curiously as mild burning subsided.

Voldemort blinked in surprise. He hadn't thought about that. He couldn't introduce Harry to his minions as himself. If he did, there would unbidden mayhem and chaos abound. "That is good question, Harry. I hadn't thought about that, actually. And now that I think about it, it won't be good idea to introduce you as Harry Potter. There would be only chaos if I did that", he mused.

Harry's brows furrowed together in thought. "True. Some, more enthusiastic ones might try to off me right there in front of you. To _please_ you", he added dryly. He played few names in his mind, and discarded them one after another, until he had two left in his mind. "Hadrian Croft", he mused, tasting name. "No... Let's make it... Harco Croft", he laughed at the name. He had combined his and Draco Malfoy's names jokingly and he ended up actually liking the result. "What do you think, my Lord?" he asked, and explained how he configured his new name.

Voldemort snorted amusedly. "That's good. It fit's you. Harco Croft. It's good name", he said and memorized it. "It is strong, powerful wizarding name. Keep it and use it when dealing with my minions", he said nodding, and then he pulled something out of his pocket, re-sizing it to its natural size.

Harry took it and opened black sating wrapping and stared what revealed under the satin. It was platinum mask. Shaped as skull that had been printed in his arm. "This is my personal mask?" he asked and lifted it in front of his face inspecting it carefully. "How it will work with my glasses? Without them I am blind as a bat." He turned to look at Voldemort.

Voldemort shrugged. "I'll just cast temporary sight correcting charm until I have time to brew potion for you", he said simply, and Harry nodded. Voldemort pulled Harry's glasses away, hiding them into his pocket for the time being. Then he muttered spell to correct boy's eye sight temporarily. "Spell will last about week. Now put your mask on. Others will be here soon."

Dark haired teen nodded solemnly and placed mask over his face and pulled his black silk cloak's hood up, covering his hair and falling into edge of his mask's eye holes. Apparently his hood had some sort of sticking charm that it wouldn't be accidentally moved, and it also made his eyes glow eerily resembling Killing curse green.

As in the final result, he looked rather fearsome and mighty Death Eater, despite his short and lithe stature. If anything, it made him seem ever so more deadly.

"My Lord", he said and his voice was bit deeper, more velvety and colder than it really was. It seemed that mask had some sort of voice enchanting spell to change his voice.

"It fit's you all too well, my dear Harco Croft", Voldemort stated with smirk. "Are you ready to intimidate some of my more moronic minions?"

Harco smirked behind his mask and said, "Yes, my Lord. Let's see if Bellatrix will try something so that I can _**Crucio**_ her."

Voldemort smirked cruelly. "Walk by my side, Harco, only half step behind be."

Harco nodded obediently and so they entered to the room where Death Eaters were already waiting them. Voldemort and Harco's entrance was attention catching, as they strode inside the room. The Dark Lord in his black robes and cloak, Harco by his side, his silk cloak mightily billowing behind him and dangerous green glow under his hood in his eyes place.

Harco was very aware of curious looks he was getting from other Death Eaters, but it didn't really bother him. As they finally settled in front of room, Voldemort to his 'throne', and Harco standing his right side to make sure that every one knew his place among them, looking dangerous and menacing, proud of his position.

Now other Death Eaters were kneeling before the Dark Lord, Silver Masks in front, White Masks behind them and new initiates farthest away.

The Dark Lord gazed his followers with his crimson eyes sharply. "Good evening, my dear followers", he said coldly, still managing to make his voice sound soft and silky while being sibilant. "The reason you are here this evening is to introduce you a new member. He is Harco Croft, my most loyal and trusted among you. My equal, shall we say...", he said, leaving his words to hang into air. "You are to obey him, to follow his words like you obey mine. Only I surpass him in power and rank", he said and scanned his followers with his gaze for their reactions.

Harco gave small, curt nod acknowledging other Death Eaters.

Voldemort continued calmly. "Now, reports. Severus anything new about Order?" he asked directly from his Spy.

One of the taller Silver Masked Inner Circle members moved in front of the Dark Lord, sweeping into kneeling position briefly before standing up again. "Order of the Phoenix is in state of panic currently. The Potter boy was reported to gone missing. Dumbledore is furious, because the boy suddenly disappeared, and Order is doing some wide scaled searching. Ministry is in panic currently also, fearing that you have found and killed the boy finally. There is rumour circling that he had been taken by you, My Lord. Also, Dumbledore is trying to persuade the goblins in the Gringotts to allow him access the Potter's vaults to fund Order's actions and up coming war against you. But thusly, all his tries has been unsuccessful and fiercely denied by goblins."

Harco tensed as Snape reported. The nerve of Dumbledore! Harco was inwardly seething akin something fierce, but outwardly he remained perfectly calm and stony.

"Anything else we should know, Severus?", Voldemort asked smoothly as he felt Harco's anger radiating off him in waves and seep through of their mental link.

"Dumbledore found out that Sirius Black, the Potter boy's godfather, had named him as his heir in his will and the boy received everything after he died in Department of Mysteries. Again, Dumbledore is furious because he wasn't informed about it until the Will was read. And he had no any intention to inform the boy about it, either", Snape told dutifully.

All while seething Harco listened patiently reports of recent events in Wizarding Great Britain's society, the Order and the Ministry. Few other minions were Crucio'ed mercilessly by Voldemort for their obvious mistakes.

It was near end of the meeting when Bellatrix went finally nutters and attacked at Harco. But even before Bellatrix could finish her first curse, Harco released all bend up anger and magic. His wrath was fearsome. Dark aura about him emanated of him like dark, icy mist. Few of newer initiates actually fainted from fright. Bellatrix was Crucio'ed, despite that Harco's wand resisted dark magic slightly, taking its potency a bit lower than it would have been with dark orientated wand. All Death Eaters were shivering under Harco's wrathful magic they felt as Bellatrix was mercilessly and brutally punished.

Voldemort stood up from his 'throne' glaring each one of his followers with crimson eyes. "Let this be lesson to you all. If you try overstep your boundaries, you will be severely and mercilessly punished. Like Bellatrix was", he said with icy, sibilant voice and few of more cowardly Death Eater backed away few steps in their fright. "Severus, Harco, stay behind. You others, leave."

As Dark Lord turned and left, Harco followed him, his robes and cloak snapping mightily behind him, only half step behind Voldemort. Snape trailed behind both of them warily, and quite rightly so when he had seen what Harco had done to Bellatrix.

In Voldemort's private study, Harco slunk silently next to wall, casually leaning against it his arms crossed over his chest in aloof manner.

Voldemort took from his cabinet a bottle of Odgen's Firewhiskey and three glasses, pouring half a glass to each. He offered them to Harco and Snape, taking the last glass for himself. Then he seated himself into comfortable armchair, motioning Severus to do the same.

"Severus, take your mask off, it isn't needed anymore in our privacy", Voldemort said and took sip from his glass.

Severus dutifully took his Silver Mask away, revealing his familiar face with pale skin, dark eyes and hook nose. He shrunk his mask and slid it into his robes pocket. "What about Mr. Croft? Doesn't he have to take his mask away?", he asked smoothly and observed carefully this -young?- man leaning against the wall in aloof, casual manner.

"Everything good come in time, Mr. Snape", Harco said smoothly and whirled his whisky in glass but he did not drink it.

"Now, Severus, tell me everything you know about Potter's disappearance", Voldemort asked, not unkindly. "There clearly are things that you left off your report in meeting Hall."

Severus stared his whisky glass for a while and spoke then, after gathering his thoughts. "There isn't really much to tell about it. Apparently he left his muggle relatives resident 31st of July, only few things were left behind, namely his clothes. There wasn't any signs that would have been forcibly taken but that he left on his own volition. After some questioning his relatives admitted that Potter had been since his return depressed, too quiet and listless generally about everything, until two days before his disappearance. They mentioned that boy had turned suddenly unearthly serene, as if he had suddenly made some sort of huge decision. His aunt feared that he would commit suicide due his depression. And then he disappeared at the day of his 16th birthday, leaving bag of galleons on their kitchen table with note telling goodbye and thanking them for taking him in when he was child. His trunk was gone, along with other belongings", he explained, his expression unreadable. "There was no witnesses nor evidence, no trace, nothing left for us to follow him. No-one knows where he is or if he is still alive, even."

The Dark Lord hummed in thoughtfully. "Intriguing indeed", he agreed. "You said that Dumbledore panicked because he can't find him?", he asked.

Severus nodded in agreement and cast sideways glance at Harco's glooming figure. "Yes, he was positively in panic and furious because he had lost the control of his Golden Boy. As it is, it is prophesied that only Potter is able to defeat you, my Lord", he replied carefully.

Harco's grip of his glass tightened notable and caused small, spidery cracks appear into his glass, with small noise that caused both older man look at him questioningly. "Indeed, he would be panicking, and for good reason, too. For if the boy has left on his own accord, then it would mean that he truly has lost the control of the boy finally. It has been making in the years, ever since his first year in Hogwarts, truthfully speaking. It would mean that boy has finally fully seen through the all of conspiracy, scheming and manipulation, realizing that he has only been controlled and moulded to be perfect little hero to fit Dumbledore's expectations", he said smoothly, but his voice contained now cold, sharp edge.

Severus suppressed the flinch caused by Croft's words and sharp voice. It felt like he had been doused with ice water suddenly. It seemed like Croft bore deep resentment and hatred toward Dumbledore. He counted himself lucky that it wasn't directed him.

Harco eyed Snape critically. "Has anything else happened? Anything at all? How Potter's friends have reacted to his sudden disappearance?" he asked, curious about his friends reactions.

Severus wondered why Croft was curious about Potter's friends. But then again, there _had been_ some _interesting_ and varying reactions. "Potter's know-it-all friend Granger is sorely missing and worried about him, along with Weasley girl and infernal twins. But Weasleys youngest boy, Ronald, doesn't seemingly miss him at all. He also commented something about Potter being stupid, wanting more attention and taking all glory from their adventures to himself when it should have gone to Weasley", he said, and this time he flinched when Croft's glass shattered. "Weasley boy also blamed Potter about Black's death", he added nervously and swallowed thickly when he felt wrath emanating from Croft's saturnine form. "Granger, Weasley girl and twins wanted to be part of search teams and searching, but Dumbledore strictly forbid them."

Voldemort gave wary look at now Harco's positively seething, saturnine and looming form, not certain what he could do. As it was, he was very powerful wizard, and in fit of (quite rightful) anger, he would something drastic, like try to go kill Dumbledore instantly.

"Anything else?", he asked from his spy.

Severus tensely sat in armchair, trying to ignore Croft, which was very hard. He wondered if he should tell the Dark Lord about his dream he had had about in time when Potter had disappeared. He sighed and he drained half of the whisky. "Well... I'm not certain if this has anything to do with Potter and his disappearance, but... I had a dream. His mother, Lily, came to me in my dream... She adamantly demanded that I would leave Light permanently to follow my natural magic inclination and to join your side again. She yelled at me for being cold, cruel and bitter toward her son. I thought that I wouldn't ever hear her lecturing me again, but... It seems that I wasn't right. Of which I am glad", he said, giving sad smile.

Harco's anger calmed down instantly. "I see", he murmured, his voice taking note of soft and gentle tone. "Mother did indeed promise that she would visit you in your dreams and reprimand you", he said and finally took his mask off. His killing curse green eyes stared piercingly at Snape under his hood.

Severus nearly dropped his glass and only his years of experience at masking his real feelings stopped him outright gaping at young man revealed behind platinum mask. "POTTER?!" he shouted in surprise.

"The one and only", Harry said nodding regally with smirk to Snape who stared at him. "Look, I'm here by my own free will, not forcibly kept", his expression turned soft and he continued. "I send letter him", he jerked his head toward Voldemort, "seeking my death in his hands. I had lost all my will to live, I had no reason to keep going. But once again..." he shook his head ruefully.

Voldemort regarded Harry unreadable expression in his face before saying, "Indeed, I received letter from him, asking my to meet him in Magnolia Court nearby park at his house. He asked me to kill him, a mercy kill, if you want to be precise", his voice had oddly soft quality, that could possibly regarded as fondness, even. "I went to meet him and we spoke for a while. He revealed the whole prophecy in its gruesome existence. And it wasn't very promising..." He stared at his whisky glass thoughtfully.

"_...The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not... And either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."_ Harry recounted the Prophecy slowly and serenely. "Very unsettling, to say to least", he said. "At the time, at least. Now, I'm not so certain that it means Voldemort. Not anymore..."

Severus gaped openly at Harry now. But worry gnawed him, indeed the prophecy had worrying aspect in it. It was very unsettling. Would Harry and Voldemort end up killing each other, in the end? Then he noted something that Harry had said. "Not certain that it is about our lord anymore?", he asked.

Harry and Voldemort both nodded. "We will tell you about it later. But to continue... Two weeks ago, when we first meet in Magnolia Court, we had this conversation why Harry wanted to die and who would win in the end. To me it seemed that if Harry died, I would end up victor. He was my enemy, the Boy-Who-Lived, the Child of the Prophecy, and if he were to die, I would gain victory over him. But his serene arguments were very convincing. He said that he would be ultimately free of all his burdens and free from being the Saviour he didn't want to be in the first place", Voldemort said and let out long sigh. "I used the killing curse to kill him swiftly and painlessly. And what he did?" he grumbled moodily. "He bloody well thanked me for killing him! When I went to collect his body from the ground where it had fallen, I searched his heart beat, and at first I didn't find it", he said, remembering the hollow, painful feeling inside him he had thought that Potter was finally dead. "But that little bugger just wouldn't stay dead! He was for most certainly dead for minute or two! His heart started to beat again, even if it was weak and slightly erratic. It was the point I totally gave up. How do you kill a person who refuses to stay dead, defying all laws of nature?", he muttered, and Harry muttered something that sounded like 'hypocrite' masked as a cough which earned glare from the Dark Lord for himself. "He bloody well survived the killing curse at the second time so he as well might live on. I shan't kill him, or even ever try again. It would just frustrate me to no end."

Harry laughed at Voldemort's statement and continued from where the Dark Lord had ended. "While I was in coma, or something akin to it, I was in borderland of the Life and Death. There was nothing, just vast emptiness. But I wasn't allowed to cross that border yet. My mother came to me, it was her voice and presence. She told me very clearly that I couldn't die yet. That I was to join Dark Lord because he wasn't truly the Evil and Dark. That there is something for all of us, including you, Snape, to do together", he said straightforwardly. "Our real enemy is truly Evil and Dark, but he is masquerading as the Light and personification of Good. He must be killed."

"Who?", Severus asked, although he already slight inkling who it would be. Harry's words about the Prophecy and Dark Lord mentioned in it not being Voldemort.

"Albus Dumbledore", Voldemort stated solemnly. "He has to die. We have been thusly tasked. Order has come from Realm of Death and Death himself", he said. He had been gifted with dream, not unlike Harry's with his mother, although he had met Death himself, and it had been _nerve wrecking_. Knowing that he had cheated Death more than one occasion by making a Horcruxes to tether himself to mortal world. But... nevertheless, Death had allowed him his horcruxes, at least for now, but who knows afterwards when everything is over and done with Dumbledore.

Severus went utterly pale. This was suddenly _much_ more serious than he had thought, if Death himself had interfered the things. "I knew Albus is twisted and manipulative man, but this extent that it warrants Death's interference...", he shuddered visibly, not even trying to suppress it at all anymore. "What about you Potter? What are you going to do now?" he asked.

Harry simply pushed himself from wall and stalked closer to Severus. "I'm learning Dark Arts and Occlumency from Voldemort himself", he said smoothly, calculating. "My mother has given her permission, she said that she will accept the what ever path I will follow, and love me even if I'm Dark", he said a smirk caressing his lips. "Our lessons are nothing like we had in Hogwarts, professor... But I am really a Death Eater now", he said baring his Mark to Snape. "And my place is Dark Lord's most trusted and his equal..." he said with dark, smooth, _caressing_ voice, "But the true question is: Where does your loyalties lie? With the Dumbledore? Or withing us in the Dark Order? Or are you purely loyal to long dead woman, Lily, and her still living son?"


End file.
